Chapter 21 A talk about the future
A year and a half later . . . .
Sam and Freddie had made it known to all their friends and colleagues and, even Mrs. Benson completely accepted their relationship. Pam still acted funny around them and she and Sam visited the therapist at least one a month to help repair their relationship. Unfortunately Pam could hardly give them the time of day, except when her grandson was around, when she put on a good act.
Freddie was very involved with his career and was on the fast track to another promotion. Sam was hired as an aid at David's school, where he was now a first grader. But she was thinking of something more as of late. The shortage of teachers had made her wonder just how much different it would be to teach instead of simply being a classroom assistant.
To say the couple had been intimate would be an understatement. Sam wound up moving into Freddie's bedroom after a few months of their being together and, to all appearances, they were just a normal, suburban couple. Freddie tried to take down any pictures of him and Melanie, but Sam insisted they remain on display, so without knowing the whole story, even visitors to their home who saw the wedding pictures might have assumed Sam and Freddie were married.
Sam's hair was blonde again and was growing back to it's old length. It still barely reached her shoulders, but she definitely looked a lot less like Pam and more like her teenage self.
Sam was starting dinner for her and Freddie one weekend. David was spending the night at Spencer's with his best friend, giving them a little time to themselves since Freddie decided he didn't need to go into the office on a Saturday, which was unusual for him.
"Need any help, sweetie?" Freddie came into the kitchen and kissed Sam's cheek as he slyly cupped her butt cheek.
She still jumped slightly as his touch, but she enjoyed his caresses. "Nah. It'll be a little bit, though. I just put the meatballs in the crock pot. You about done in there?"
"Yep. Our new interactive big screen and theater quality surround sound is all set. Hey, why don't we just eat dinner in the family room tonight?"
Sam nodded. "Get out the big bowls. I want to have plenty of food without coming back for seconds."
"You never did get to finish telling me about what happened at school yesterday. You were just at the good part when Gibby called to tell me about his new pet possum getting lost in the air conditioner vent."
"Oh, that's right. Well, you know that Megan gal, David's kindergarten teacher from last year?" Sam asked, loading the last of her utensils into the dishwasher.
"Yeah, don't remind me. I swear I know what it's like to be stalked now. Did I tell you I ran into her in the grocery store last week. She's just as flirty as ever. Maybe if I started wearing my wedding ring again, it would stop her."
"Well, wait till you hear this. I talked to Ted Franklin a couple days ago."
"Cool. How's he doing? I hear he got promoted out of Ridgeway High the other year."
"Same ol' Ted." Sam shrugged "Anyway, it turns out Megan's been running around with the boys' gym teacher from the middle school, and he's married. To principal Franklin's oldest daughter. Or should I say assistant-superintendent Franklin. So, guess who got herself on permanent cafeteria duty."
"Dang. That gal's got issues. I swear she's the neediest woman I ever saw. But wait, I thought you liked cafeteria duty."
"I do, but most of the teachers hate it." Sam shrugged. "I try to slip into the kitchen and sample what they're feeding the kids. And give them a few pointers on how to actually give it some flavor. One more bit of news from Ted, old Mrs. Prune Face is finally retiring at the end of the year."
"You mean Miss Prudholm? My third grade teacher."
"Yeah, what did I say?" Sam smirked. "So now they're going to be down another teacher and they've already got permanent subs in, like four classrooms already."
"Phew. I can't picture Harrison Elementary without Miss Prudholm. She seemed old back when I went to school."
"Man, she must be older than dirt. I've worked with her once in a while. Nice lady, but the face of a Shar-Pei. I'll bet she was into the tanning thing when she was younger. Now she just looks like a leather recliner with glasses and a poodle perm."
Freddie just rolled his eyes at her comparison.
"You know, after talking to Ted I got to thinking about something. And I did some checking, it turns out I have a lot of credits toward my degree, you know from when I lived in L.A. and took classes down there. They've loosened up the requirements to pass the state teacher's exam the last couple of years. And Northwestern Seattle school district is kind of desperate for teachers. So Ted, he wants to meet with me to go over what all I'd have to do to, what kind of training and all to, you know, get the job."
Freddie stifled a laugh, which came out more like a snicker. "You! You want to be a teacher?"
"Yeah. And what's so suckin' funny, nub bag. Just because I was never that fond of teachers or want to try something that seems like it would be unnatural for me, doesn't make it a joke."
"That's sort of what I was thinking it was." He tried to compose himself, but couldn't.
Sam was dead serious and lightly jabbed at his shoulder. "Quit laughing, dip nuts. I'm serious!"
Freddie nodded and settled himself.
"I know it would make things rough for a little while. I imagine I'd have to totally leave the aid job so I could have enough time to go to classes myself. And then still maybe take a few evening sessions. But it's not like I really make that much to begin with. And Monica could pick David up after school and he could stay at their place until one of us gets home."
"I'm sure he'd love that. He's been glued to Stephan since we all went to Yakima on vacation together this summer."
"But I guess it's just a dumb idea, though. Hell, I barely got through the classes I took and that was years ago. I don't really know if I even want to go back to college. Besides, I know it would be expensive. Thing is, I do have a good bit saved up. You've always paid me really good for taking care of things around the house and all. I never really had anything to spend money on, except when I bought my car."
"I wish you'd still let me pay you." He frowned. "I mean, just because we're a couple doesn't make cleaning the house and looking after David any less of a job. At least you let me put your car on my insurance policy."
Sam just shook her head. She had refused his payment for her being a nanny after they decided to become a couple. "I'm sure I could get some kind of student loan if I really needed it. And maybe I can take most of the classes at community college. That really doesn't cost too much. That's what I did in L.A. I might have to borrow a little bit from you, but I'd pay you back."
Freddie had long since quit giggling, Sam was serious and had given this a lot of thought. "Sam, if this is what you want to do then I support it. And you don't need to pay me back. What's mine is yours, you know that, right? We're a family, family supports each other."
"Look Freddie, just because we're dating and my name is on your bank accounts, doesn't mean it's my money or anything. I know it's just on there so I can sign checks or whatever if you get sick or you're out of town or something. We might be sleeping together but . . . "
"No, Sam. We're partners in this, we share everything. Speaking of which, I was thinking last week, we should talk to a lawyer about getting your name put on the house. You know, in case something were to happen to me."
"For God's sake, Freddie. You're barely in your thirties and the picture of health. What's going to happen to you?"
He just cocked his head. Melanie was the picture of health, too. Six months later she was going through chemo. His own dad never saw thirty-five.
"Alright. Point taken." She held her hands up in defeat. "I just hate to see you pay some stuffy lawyer a couple thousand bucks to write up some goofy piece of paper that says if you croak, I get your chiz. You already have a will, isn't that enough?"
"Not when it comes to real estate, or child custody, I'm afraid. And I want to go over the will, too. I haven't updated it since right after Melanie passed. And I really want to set up a trust for David's college fund like the one I had. I'll need to appoint someone as a trustee if something happens to me, I'd like you to handle it."
"Of course, Freddie. But why are you worried about this stuff all of a sudden?"
"Because I'm the same age my dad was when he first got sick. My mom reminded me the other day that it's been 25 years since he . . . " He sighed, remembering his father. "I just want everything to be taken care of in case something unplanned was to happen. For David and for you. You're my partner in all this, you'd just be out on the street and David could wind up in foster care if we don't have everything set up right. Sure, you could petition for custody being his biological aunt, but it's just easier to have all this stuff on paper in the first place."
"You do realize that in the eyes of the law we're already married, right?" Sam had thought this through more than once. "It's like, we live together, we have joint bank accounts, we've certainly consummated our relationship."
"Psh, yeah, a lot I might add." He slipped an arm around her waist, seductively. "Speaking of . . . "
She slapped his shoulder playfully. "I'm serious, Fredwad. We do everything else just like a married couple. How the crap could anyone fight that? And who would? It's not like you owe anyone anything. You paid off your mortgage years ago and you've never even borrowed money to buy a car."
"Are you sure about all this stuff?"
Sam nodded.
"So how do you know so much law stuff all of a sudden? I have three degrees and I didn't even know that kind of junk."
"A couple of those community college electives I took when I lived in L.A. might have been law classes. With my relatives, I figured the more I know about the law, the better off I am. Besides, my mom's pulled that common-law stuff on more than one guy over the years. If she was married half as many times as she claimed she was to get some dude's money, she'd have her own reality show."
"I should have known." He snickered and gave her a kiss.